Mew Mew Metamorphasis
by Kaminari Hoshino
Summary: The Red DNA animals have been found, the knights are being discovered. What will happen when Ryou and Kishu discover how it all REALLY started? Who are the Blue DNA animals, friend....or foe...(takes place about after episode 26 of series)
1. The First Repeated

Author's Note: Yes, yes Tokyo Mew Mew does not belong to me. And the description in this chapter for Mew Kami is weird, but my friend likes it so I'm keeping it in. (BTW Mew Kami doesn't reflect me, nor is she based off of me..) I think I'll post the other seven chapters I have done once I get a review (the story DOES get better...)  
  
Mew Mew Metamorphosis  
Episode one: the first repeated  
  
"Ribbon Mint Echo!"  
"Ribbon Lettuce Rush!"  
"Ribbon Heart Check!"  
"Pudding Ring Inferno!"  
"Ribbon Zakuro Spear!"  
  
The attacks repeated themselves over and over again as the Mew Mews continued to fight. There opponent was a new one- a shadowy silver chimera anima. With it's silvery moonlit scythe the chimera anima continued to strike and hit, while the mew mews could not land a single blow.  
The Chimera Anima had a long cloak that flowed over its hidden face. Tendrils of black and purple smoke hovered around it, curling slightly at the end and letting out a ghastly smell.  
"It's too strong!" Mew Lettuce called as the curved weapon swung again, whizzing past her and Pudding's head.  
"Nyan!" Ichigo continued to dodge the blows, her attention and attacks failing.  
  
The shining blade fell down again. Right before it was about to draw blood from Zakuro a glimmering ball of static white light blasted the tip of the weapon off.  
"Who did that!" Kisshu, who had been watching the battle from the side, yelled.  
  
His question was answered as Mint shouted and indicated to the limb of a nearby tree, wear a girl was standing in half-hidden shadow.  
"Who are you!" Kisshu demanded, his patience growing thinner by the second. He looked the girl over, glaring all the while.  
  
She was very tall. Her shirt was black, with a one side and the bottom being silver. An oblique cross went over her belly button and a vertical cross covered her back-both had a silver and black "x" in the middle. Her silver skirt was about 5 inches above her knew and had two large black ribbons coming out of the black.  
One of her black boots was short, while the other was very long. Spaces wear her legs would've shown were covered with silver ribbon, the same went for her fingerless gloves. She had a necklace, leg, and armbands, just like the other mew mews. However, her most noticeable feature was the tan, long, black-striped tail extending from her tail bone and matching pointed ears a top her head.  
The girl ignored Kisshu's question and held up her hands.  
"Ribbon Silver Death!"  
  
A glowing white ball shrouded in gray and blue lighting formed in her hands. With a unique elegance the newcomer shot it at the Chimera Anima.  
"Kyaaaaaaaaa!" the monster yelled in pain, as the attack hit its chest.  
  
"Now Mew Ichigo!" the stranger yelled.  
For a moment Ichigo hesitated, but after a second or two she nodded.  
"Ribbon Strawberry Surprise!"  
  
A bright pink of light glittered in the sky as the beast's soul was returned to its rightful owner and Kisshu disappeared with a sneer on his face.  
The Mew Mew's rescuer jumped away as Mew Ichigo was in mid-sentence, "Who are you?"  
Zakuro, who had already returned to normal, came up next to Ichigo and looked up at the tree. "Let's go back to the Café, we'll see if Akasaka and Shirogane know anything about this." 


	2. Red and Blue Make Purple

Author's Note: You know what I'm going to say, so why should I say it? But if I don't say it I might get sued, so I'll say it: TOKYO MEW MEW DOESN'T BELONG TO ME!!!  
Thank you  
  
Mew Mew Metamorphosis  
Episode two: Blue and red make purple  
  
Ryou and Akasaka listened intently as the Mew Mews made their account of the fierce battle and their encounter with the silver stranger.  
"I thought you said there were only five Mews." Ichigo finished, somewhat angry she was stuck at the Café for the evening.  
"We'll do research on it right now." Akasaka took on a serious tone of voice.  
"Yeah." Ryou replied, putting his arms behind his head. He paused and continued, "Well don't just stand there, Ichigo, Mint. There's a busy Café upstairs waiting for your attention."  
Ichigo's face swelled in anger at Shirogane's insensitivity. For a moment she looked like she was about say something, but she thought better of it and followed Zakuro up to the dressing rooms.  
When the girls had left Ryou turned his chair toward Akasaka and took on his own serious tone, "Keiichiro, you think...?"  
Akasaka nodded, "The Blue Data Animals."  
Keiichiro brought up a screen with a blue back round. The screen flashed as five animals went by. The first was a Tasmanian tiger, or Tasmanian wolf. By the looks of the tail and ears it must've been the "silver stranger" Ichigo and the others had been describing.  
The next creature was a black sea creature, The Monk Seal. After that was the Long-tailed Hopping-mouse. The fourth animal was a Brace's Emerald Humming Bird and lastly was the Large Palau Flying-fox.  
Ryou watched the screen and the animals on it for a few minutes.  
"Should I call the girls down?" Akasaka asked, seeing Ryou looked troubled.  
At first he did not respond, but after a second he shook his head and looked up at Keiichiro. "No, we need to discover more first. I don't want to draw them away from their duties."  
Akasaka nodded and sat down at a computer next to Ryou. His fingers began to fly over the keys as the two of them began the arduous research.  
  
"Moshi Moshi!" Ichigo answered her ringing cell phone, "Momomiya Ichigo here."  
"Aoyama-kun!" she squealed into the speaker with little effort to hide her excitement, "the park? 4:00 today? I think I can make it..." Ichigo trailed off as a young women walked into the Café. "I'll see you then, I have to get back to work now, Ja!"  
Ichigo went about working for the rest of the day singing quietly to herself and smiling.  
Masha flew into the room, its pink wings all a-flutter. "Ichigo, Mew Mews, Chimera Anima, Chimera Anima! Cherry Blossom Gardens, Chimera Anima!"  
  
"Mint, Zakuro, stay here at the restaurant and watch over things. We'll be right back." Ichigo motioned to Lettuce and Pudding and ran out the door with them.  
"Mew Mew Strawberry, Metamorpha-sis!"  
"Mew Mew Lettuce Metamorpha-sis!"  
"Mew Mew Pudding, Metamorpha-sis!"  
  
A few minutes later the three arrived at the Cherry Blossom Gardens. Tartu stood fanning himself, floating above one of the pink, flowering trees. Below him two forms were visible. The first was a lifeless, cold human, lying curled up next to the second form. This second form was a large monster with no definite form. To Ichigo it reminded her of the one that had attacked Aoyama about a year ago.  
As the monster was about to strike Mew Lettuce at the call of Tartu, a shadow came and shoved it out of the way.  
"The..."  
"Silver Stranger." Ichigo finished Lettuce's sentence.  
The girl's brown, mid-back length hair swayed steadily in the wind. Her two braids in the front on either side of her head fell over her shoulders as she held back the demon.  
"Ichigo," she started quietly, "let's finish him off quick, so you can make it to the park on time, okay?"  
Mew Ichigo looked up at her in surprise, how did she know my name? And how does she know I'm going to the park with Aoyama-kun today?  
"Ribbon!" a ball of light collected in her hands as she motioned to Mew Pudding and Mew Lettuce  
"Pudding!" Pudding powered her attack.  
"Ribbon!" Lettuce's words joined Pudding's at the same time.  
"Silver Death!"  
"Ring Inferno!"  
"Lettuce Rush!"  
  
The attacks all combined into a glowing, multi-colored sphere. The shapeless monster was sent sprawling backwards, hitting Tartu squarely.  
"Mew Ichigo! Save the soul now, no da!" Pudding indicated toward the chimera anima as she spoke.  
Ichigo nodded defiantly as a bell came out of her tail bow. She went through all the familiar motions of attacking and repeated the worn out, but still powerful, words:  
"Ribbon Strawberry Surprise!"  
The glittering spiral wrapped about the chimera anima, separating human soul from the jellyfish like monster.  
As Mew Lettuce returned the glittering gem of a human soul to the lifeless form before her, Masha chased the jellyfish with a smile.  
"Collect!" she called as she swallowed the little demon.  
As the silver stranger was about to run away for the second time, Pudding called to her.  
"What's your name? Please tell us! Na no da!" she inquired.  
The girl stopped and turned around half way so she was facing the three girls.  
"I suppose it's only fair I tell you." she looked up at the sky and smiled. "You can call me Mew Kami."  
"Okay, how did you know my nam..."? Before Ichigo could finish the mysterious girl-Mew Kami- had dispersed again.  
"Ichigo," Lettuce had returned back to normal, as had the other two, "don't you have to get to the park in..." she checked her watch, "five minutes?"  
Ichigo's face lit up in anxiety and excitement, "Aoyama-kun!" she called as she ran off toward the park, "and finally I'll get to see you, nyan!" 


	3. New Desserts

Author's Note: And again, this anime, Tokyo Mew Mew, doesn't belong to me. This is a sort of fluffy chapter, too –is excited for you to read it-  
  
Mew Mew Metamorphosis  
Episode three: The friend and foe send a new dessert  
  
"I'm worried about Shirogane oni-san." Pudding peeked through the door to wear Ryou was still sitting at the computer, researching the Blue Data Animals.  
"And Akasaka." Lettuce looked over next to Ryou, wear the brown- haired man was still busily typing.  
"I have an idea!" Ichigo looked around at the four girls surrounding her. "Let's make them a cake!"  
"What do you mean, cake?" Mint gazed up at Ichigo.  
"Well," Ichigo began, "we should probably close the restaurant because Akasaka is the only cook and he's been so busy. So we can squeeze in a simple cake with all that extra time, can't we?"  
Pudding nodded happily, "Yeah! It will show Shirogane onee-san and Akasaka onee-san how much we appreciate them! Na no da!"  
With the decision made the girls scurried upstairs to start.  
"I'll make some tea." Mint stated simply, "with a nice milk base. You can't have cake without tea."  
Lettuce nodded, "I'll make icing for the cake."  
"Zakuro," Pudding asked loudly, "will you help me make cupcakes?"  
The model nodded, "That would be nice."  
"And I'll make the cake!" Ichigo exclaimed in an unusually happy tone of voice.  
  
Soon the smell of baking goods and the sound of squabbling Mew Mews could be heard throughout the first two levels of the Café.  
"Nyan!"  
"Beautiful!"  
"Elegant!"  
Compliments went to everybody for the fine baking job. They had made a large, pink cake surrounded by little iced cupcakes. The Café was clean and everyone was in good spirits.  
"I have to get home." Ichigo didn't want the good time to end.  
"Me too." came the reply of everyone but Zakuro.  
"Then." Zakuro spoke up from her normally quiet self, "Let's write a note, but a short one, I don't think they'll be able to manage reading too long of one with how long they've been starring at the computer screen.  
Nobody knew if Zakuro was joking or not, but they agreed on a simple, three-letter note and a matching signature.  
  
Ichigo was the last one to leave the shop. As she switched all the lights off she noticed Zakuro locking up the windows.  
"It's strange, isn't it?" Zakuro turned to Ichigo.  
"What?"  
"How close you can become to people in such a short period of time through certain experiences."  
For a moment Ichigo didn't understand Zakuro's implication, but after a moment she nodded. "Yeah, it's weird..."  
"Let me walk you home, it's dark." Zakuro motioned for Ichigo to come.  
The two left.  
  
"Pai! Tartu! Kisshu!" the low voice in charge scolded his three minions. "I'm putting someone new in charge, someone better."  
"Kaku." Kisshu glared up with a look of disgust.  
  
(Author's note: just like Pai, Tartu, and Kisshu are Pie, Tart and Quiche in English, "Kaku" is Cake.)  
  
"Ryou," Akasaka tapped the blonde boy on the shoulder, "we best be  
getting some rest, if we want to continue further research tomorrow."  
The Café's owner stood up and nodded somewhat obstinately,  
"yeah, let's get something to eat as well.  
  
When the two got upstairs they saw the girls edible creation,  
sitting on the table in a sort of "royal grandeur".  
"What's this?" Keiichiro smiled, knowing the answer.  
Ryou picked up a note on top of the cake and brought it to  
Keiichiro to read out loud:  
  
"We Love You!  
  
Signed,  
Your Mew Mew Family 


	4. Secrets Revealed

Author's Note: Tokyo Mew Mew no belong to me, comprehendo?   
  
Mew Mew Metamorphosis  
Episode four: secrets revealed  
Hi, mine name is Ichigo Momomiya. I'm nearly fourteen, but lately I haven't been able to enjoy that wonderful age. Quite a while ago I was at the Museum looking at exhibits on my first date with my crush! While we were there an earthquake occurred, and two guys, Akasaka and Shirogane, inserted my body with the DNA of an Irimote cat.  
The Irimote cat's are few in number, or in other words, endangered. Because of this they have a strong will to protect the species. Therefore, when I bonded with it I got that same will and magical little powers! Nyan!  
  
Even though I can do cool stuff now with my powers, like kick evil around and jump super high, everything has its downside.  
Whenever I get really excited my ears and tail pop out! Then I have to cover it up and I look like a total dork. I was also forced into a job at the Mew Mew Café, our secret hideout. (Though it really isn't that bad because I get as much cake as you could ever imagine!)  
Akasaka is really super nice and he always knows what to say. And Shirogane is only barely beginning to open up to any of us. I think the two of them still have a ton of personal secrets, but I'm sure detective Pudding will discover them soon enough!  
  
Speaking of Pudding, I don't fight alone. My first encounter was with Mint, she's sort of stuck up but I think I'm getting use to her. Mint and me discovered Lettuce. She's sort of a bookworm and clumsy girl, but I love her all the same. I think Pudding is a little too active, and my first meeting with her didn't go so well, but she's always happy. (She's also always completely oblivious to what's going on.)  
The last Mew Mew we found was Zakuro, a famous model, actress, and dancer. Mint really admires her, and Zakuro's really quiet. I think she's smarter then we all think. She gives me good advice whenever I need it.  
A few months ago we met another ally, The Blue Knight. He said a lot of weird stuff to me, but I think he was pretty sincere. Pudding first suspected he was Shirogane, and I suspected the same as well. But now, I really don't know what to think, we haven't encountered him for quite some time, only twice.  
To add on to the complications of my "new job", a new Mew has been discovered! She calls herself Mew Kami, and that's all I know. But Akasaka- kun and Shirogane-kun are constantly doing research. All I know for sure is that I need to continue to be at justice's service- Nyan!  
  
"Are you done with research?" Lettuce spoke as Shirogane walked slowly up the stairs to the main floor of the Café.  
He walked passed her with no reply.  
"I'm still worried, Na no da!" Pudding whined after Ryou.  
"Me too." Lettuce sat down next to Pudding and took a sip from her teacup. "We haven't been able to open the shop in nearly a week, and they've been so quiet."  
Ichigo nodded and stood up. Without explaining herself she ran down stairs to the lab where she could talk to Akasaka.  
"Ichigo?" Keiichiro asked as Ichigo walked into the dark room, "what are you doing down here?"  
"Can't you stop? Everyone needs to take a break every now and then, even you two."  
"I don't know if we can, this is a complicated problem this situation has developed into."  
Ichigo sat in the empty seat next Akasaka, "find anything else out yet?"  
Akasaka looked toward the screen, on it was the picture of "pre- earth". The same picture they had shown the Mew Mews a few months ago when they had discovered the plant that had existed on Earth millions of years ago on the alien planet.  
"Yeah, but we want to find out more before we can come up with a sure conclusion. Have you discovered anything else about this 'silver stranger'?"  
Ichigo shook her head sadly, "only that she knows everything about me somehow and she's really strong, and she calls herself Mew Kami."  
"How much does she know?" Ryou asked as he returned to the room.  
Ichigo looked up in surprise and replied to his question the best she could, "She knew who I was, I mean who I really am. And she knew I was going to the park at 4:00 with Aoyama-kun."  
Ryou looked away from Ichigo, "that's a lot."  
Ichigo was confused all over again, 'that's a lot' didn't sound like something Shirogane would say.  
"Oh yeah!" Ichigo stood up and took the little R-2000 key chain off her phone, "Masha will have the fights video-recorded, right? Look at those, and then..." she trailed off as she headed for the stairway, "come up and get something to eat, we're all getting worried." With that she darted up the stairs to help clean the Café.  
Ryou held the little pink ball and hooked it up to the computer.  
"Masha help! Masha help!" it exclaimed excitedly.   
"So, what's the plan? Oh mighty, 'better' Kaku?" Kisshu sneered in spite.  
"Don't rush." the pale, thin man whispered. His dull white hair hung in a mess down to his feet. His long white robes were dirtied, as were his hear and hands.  
"I'm not rushing!" Kisshu yelled, "we've been doing nothing for six days!" he clenched his fist with rage.  
"So, let me get this straight," Kaku looked across the green mist of their dimension at Kisshu, "you want to go and make a sneak attack when we know nothing about the enemy?"  
"We know plenty about the enemy!"  
"Then you three would have been able to beat them by now, if you had known enough."  
Pai folded her arms and floated over to Kisshu, "Kisshu is right you know! This is boring! Deep Blue isn't going to be very happy if we do nothing! At least we were trying before!"  
"Hush!" Tartu smacked Pai across the face and looked up at Kaku in admiration. "He's right, I'll start collecting data now, come with me Pai."  
  
Pai wondered up to Tartu obstinately and began even more research on the humans.  
"Your dismissed, Kasshui." Kaku began to walk away.  
"It's Kisshu!" he yelled, "Kisshu!"  
"Whatever." Kaku muttered. "Why don't you go attack something, you're worthless to me at the moment. Just like your worthless to Deep Blue."  
Kisshu glared in the same direction for a long time after Kaku had left. "Fine," he smiled, "I'll go attack something, and I'll show Deep Blue I'm no fool! Research! What time do we have for research?" Kisshu dissolved into the air.   
"We have finished enough research on this stranger-Mew Kami-to inform you about it." Ryou stood up and faced the big-screened computer in the center of the little lab.  
"She is one of the Blue Data Animals. Like the Red Data Animals they had the same will to preserve the species."  
"Had?" Pudding asked shyly.  
Ryou faced the girls and nodded, "Yes," he looked up at the screen, "as far as we know every one of the creature in this group is extinct, completely gone from the earth's surface."  
"Then how did they get the DNA? "Ichigo was beginning to feel frustrated with this whole "silver stranger" thing.  
"We're not sure, but as far as we know the DNA has been preserved since the disappearance of each species." he paused and continued, "Mew Kami's DNA was fused with that of a Thylacine, also known as the Tasmanian Tiger or wolf. The Thylacine species died out in1936 when the last one, a female, was abused and left alone to die in a preservation center.  
"By watching the video recorded by Masha of Mew Kami's fight, we were able to find a mark on her body, much like the birthmarks all of you have."  
The screen showed a picture of the very first time the Thylacine girl had rescued them. Ryou turned around to completely face the screen as it zoomed in on the girl's left shoulder where a silver and black mark was imprinted.  
The mark was a black circle with part of the top was missing. In place of the top a silver, vertical line came down into the center of the circle.  
"Besides that," Ryou sat down, "there's nothing else. But your next assignment is to find whoever this girl is. She'll have the symbol on her body, and she'll be extremely athletic-judging by the kind of animal her DNA has merged with."  
Ichigo nodded and led the girls out, "Let's get this over with," she mumbled, beginning to realize how much of her time this whole Mew Mew thing took up. 


	5. What Shall Come of Tomorrow?

Author's Note: Tokyo Mew Mew and it's characters don't belong to me so you have no right to sue!!!!!  
  
Mew Mew Metamorphosis  
Episode five: what shall come of tomorrow?  
  
Ichigo drummed her fingers across the pink-topped table monotonously. A slight ray of orange sunlight poured through the window, and dissolved at her feet.  
"This is so boring!" she mumbled to no one in particular, "why do I have to stay here and do absolutely nothing again?"  
Mint sighed and hit Ichigo across the nose, "just be quiet already, you're making this whole thing worse then it needs to be." Mint sighed and took another sip of fragrant tea, "besides, if Akasaka or Shirogane can narrow down our search any it would be a big help, wouldn't it?"  
Ichigo sat down in the heart-shaped chair across from Mint and lay her head down on the table, "we've looked for the past week, and this is even more boring then looking for Mew Aqua."  
Mint smiled and sipped her tea for a second time, "then, the faster you find Mew Kami, the faster you can go look for more Mew Aqua and the faster you can go out and look for Chimera Anima and go back to your usual schedule."  
Ichigo stood up and glared out the window, "I don't think my life will ever go back to normal again." she let out on exasperated sigh and turned to the door, "come, on, let's go out and find this Mew Mew fast." Ichigo left alone, while the other four stayed behind.  
"Ichigo onee-chan seems depressed, Na no da." Pudding stared at the door, "we all seem pretty depressed, Pudding is sad now too."  
Lettuce nodded, "I haven't even talked to my mom for three days now, I've been so busy."  
Pudding nodded, "let's go and find the silver stranger so Ichigo will be happy again and everyone will be happy! Na no da! Pudding thinks that would be a nice idea."  
Mint nodded and followed Lettuce and the now ecstatic Pudding out the door.  
"Aren't you going, Zakuro?" Ryou looked up from his laptop research and turned to the young women.  
"No." Zakuro leaned against her closed hand in thought.  
Ryou smiled and returned to his work, "I thought so."  
"You thought right." Zakuro stood up and began to sweep the Café floor. "Maybe I'll help them later." she paused, "maybe."  
A minute later Zakuro left to go and give a hand to Akasaka with the dishes. Ryou leaned on his palm, the words on the computer screen blurred under the pressure of his tired eyes, all he seemed to do now was research- for that was really all he knew how to do.  
"What are you looking at?" a female voice talked into Ryou's ear loudly.  
Ryou continued to work without looking up. "We're closed." he ordered harshly, "leave."  
Ryou saw the girl sit down across from him from the corner of his eye. She leaned against her to hands and impertinently starred at him.  
The blonde boy couldn't stand it any longer, slamming the laptop's lid down he glared at the girl for only a moment, then he stood up in shock.  
"M...M...Mew Kami?" he stuttered quietly as he looked over the girl. "What are you doing here?"  
"I'm sorry," she took Ryou's computer and turned it to face her. "I just wanted to check this place out. Make sure I wasn't assisting the wrong side." Mew Kami smiled slightly and began to rapidly type at the computer.  
"Are you going to stay with us?" Ryou asked, returning to his seat.  
"Mmmmm..." Mew Kami seemed very hesitative and somewhat cautious. "I could lead you on a dramatic wild goose chase. But eventually then, I would join you. Or I could fight against you, but I know your strengths, you would beat me. And then..."  
She pressed one finger to her lips and smiled. "I could just tell you who I am, be employed in this Café and help you."  
Ryou looked at her impatiently, "I have little time."  
"Oh, but you do have plenty of time. Your Café is closed, right? Your research is only to find me, right? You graduated from college and school and what not, you do not to go fight any Chimera Anima."  
With every one of her words, Ryou's eyes continued to narrow. He wasn't beginning to like this girl.  
Mew Kami smiled, "however, maybe you do need to be somewhere." she sat on the table and examined her nails.  
"Where?" Ryou demanded, "As you say, nothing is happening."  
Mew Kami stood up and stared at Ryou, she was equally his height, allowing her to stare right into his blue eyes, "your supposed to protect someone, aren't you? She's out all alone." Mew Kami looked at the Café doors for a moment then put her face close to Ryou's and whispered in his ear, "defenseless, her friends split up. For all you know she's..."  
"Ichigo's fine!" Ryou took a quick step backwards and glared at Mew Kami. "I know...she's fine."  
Mew Kami smiled. She examined the look on his face with interest. He was wondering how she got there, how she had discovered the hideout. Shirogane wanted to know who she was, and why she had come.  
"You seem..." Mew Kami broke the silence, "to have a lot of confidence in that girl, Ichigo? Poor thing, such an emotional life and then thrown into this..."  
"No one was forced to do anything. All five of them chose to come here."  
The Silver Stranger stared at him, every minute she tried his weaknesses, hoping he would make a mistake. Why she wanted such things was a secret only she knew.  
"That's not true." Mew Kami took on a very serious tone and turned away from the Café owner. "You didn't choose to come here, did you? Neither did Akasaka...you were chosen. That goes for everyone involved in this business, it goes for me, my allies, and both enemies."  
The boy glared at her briefly before speaking, "you have no right to say those things."  
  
Mew Kami's next reaction was uncertain to Ryou. She was either taken- aback or please with his remark. But he wouldn't find out for a long while, as Mew Kami disappeared into nothingness.  
"I didn't ever think it would come to this." Shirogane turned and called to Akasaka, "we better talk to those girls tomorrow I think the load is too stressful."  
Akasaka smiled from his spot in the kitchen and called back, "that would be a good idea. Though he doesn't want to admit it, that poor boy really does care about them...but what is he going to do? What will come of tomorrow? 


	6. Goals Desired and Earned

MEW MEW METAMORPHASIS

Chapter Six: Goals Desired and Earned

Author's Note: I'm bad, I've had it done for while, but you see, if I do a chapter of Mew Mew I must do a chapter of Fruits Basket. So, it took a while but I did it!! I don't own Tokyo Mew Mew as well....and I promise all you people who want to me to read your stuff, I will start within the coming week!  
  
The girls walked out from the basement of the Café, where the two owners 'secret base' for Project Mew was located. They had just had a long talk with Akasaka and Shirogane. It was decided that the Mew Mews would concentrate only on their duty to run the Café and fighting the enemy, while the search for Mew Aqua would be abandoned and postponed until further notice.  
Zakuro was the only one who stayed behind after the other four's departure.  
"Why did you do that?" the famous actor questioned the teenage boy across from her, leaning on the doorway in a slumped pose" why did you change your mind in such a hurry?"  
Ryou seemed surprised by the question, but answered in due time, "you need to focus on saving the world before you focus on...everything else." Ryou's hesitation made the purple-haired girl smile.  
"Do you need anything else?" Shirogane implied bluntly.  
Zakuro turned to take her leave, "nothing you'll give me."  
Ryou' s mouth raised a bit in one corner as he turned back to his work. For the millionth time he watched the videos Masha had recorded during the Mew Mew's major battles with the enemy.   
  
"Kishu!" Kakku called into the green abyss of his world. "I have duty for you! Come!"  
The green haired villain appeared in front of his caller with a look of spite on his face. "What do you want? I'm not a dog! Don't treat me like you're in charge of me, the only one I answer to is Deep Blue, not you, not anyone else."  
Kakku quirked a smile at the rebellion, "you foolish boy." A blue sphere of lighting began to form in Kakku's left hand. "When will you learn that I am your superior!"  
The swirling orb of crackling bolts flew from Kakku's hand. Approaching Kishu at unheard of sped it hit the alien boy full-throttle in the stomach. Taking the critical hit, Kishu went flying backwards, crashing in to the nearby floor.  
Kakku waited a second to see if his opponent would rise, but the air had been knocked out of him in defeat.  
"Now, I want you to bring me back that...girl...what was her name?"  
Kishu weakly raised his head as a new anger welled inside of him, "Ichigo, Mew Ichigo." the pale-boy muttered between gritted teeth.  
"Yes, Mew Ichigo..." Kakku took on an evil grin, "I want her, bring her to me."  
Kishu managed to rise to his knees, in a somewhat kneeling position. He glared after the man as he began to walk away, probably to give orders to Pai and Tartu. Probably.  
"And Kishu..." Kakku didn't even bother to look over his shoulder, "if you don't do this, I'll just kill her without a capture and inquisition."  
Kishu's eyes widened as his slight feelings for Ichigo arose. He thought about telling Kakku he wouldn't fail him, but he wouldn't give that lowlife the pleasure of hearing those defeated words.  
"I'll get her, don't worry." Kishu whispered after his rival had left, "but I won't bring her to you. I won't let you kill her, I think I'll have my own fun, first."  
With this new attitude Kishu dissolved into the air, all the while thinking of his new plan to kidnap the unsuspecting Ichigo.   
"Aoyama-kun..." Ichigo's eyes sagged under her depression as she fingered the bell around her neck, "where are you? I haven't seen you for a while..."  
Ichigo stood up quietly and began to walk the distance to the Café. She was used to going there every day now. But it seemed unfair; nothing went how it was supposed to anymore. What about Aoyama? What about her friends? Her social life? She had lost it all to Irimote cat inside of her. Everything. Why was she the only one who could lead the Mew Mews in this confusing opposition to save the earth, why?  
Lost in thought Ichigo almost didn't notice when she was knocked to her feet. Looking up all of a sudden she gave a small bow.  
"Gomen Kurusai!(sorry)" she starred up in surprise.  
"Shirogane-kun? What are you doing here?" Flashbacks of the boy came to her mind, dancing with him at his party, the security she had felt in his arms at their first encounter, and then, his attitude that always seemed to keep her from knowing anything about him.  
"Eh?" he patted her on the head in a rather rude way, "can't a guy walk?" he turned around with his arms behind his head and began strolling in the opposite direction.  
(Author's Note: Shirogane...strolling...-funny thought...-)  
  
"You coming, Ichigo?" he called over his shoulder to the girl.  
"H...Hai (yes)." she caught up with him in a few moments.  
Why is he so nice to me sometimes, and at other times he acts like he hates me? He's like Aoyama-kun in some ways. At times he seems to get along with me and at others it seems he completely wants to shun me.  
Ichigo sighed sadly as she thought about Aoyama. It really had been such a long time since there last encounter.  
Ryou looked at the girl as she walked in front of him. She starred at her feet and her smile sagged a little at the edges. He hated when she was depressed, nothing ever got done around the Café.  
"Hey! Ichigo!" he called, getting the girl to stop.  
"Nyan?" the girl's vocal reflex responded as she turned to face him.  
"Come with me." the boy spoke openly as he turned the corner and headed away from the Café.  
"Hey! Shirogane-kun! Where are you going?" Ichigo ran after him, her breaths becoming more and more heavy. "Shi-ro-ga-ne-kun!!!"  
A rare smile spread across the blonde's face as the girl chased after him. At least he had gotten her mind off whatever she was thinking about.  
When Ichigo finally caught up with him he has stopped and was standing in front of a massive brick building.  
"To...To...Tokyo University!?!?!" Ichigo starred up in awe at the school, one of the hardest schools to get into in all of Japan.  
"Hai." Ryou opened the gate and led Ichigo in silently.  
"Shirogane-chan?" a female voice hailed the two.  
"Nyan?" Ichigo looked around for the owner of the words. Standing not to far away was a girl with long brown hair. It was pulled back in a ponytail and she wore the Tokyo U uniform.  
"Chan?" Ryou approached the girl, a sweat drop on his forehead. "All this time and all I get is a 'chan'? That's harsh."  
Ichigo looked surprised, she had never seen this side of Ryou. As he caught up with this girl they seemed happy together.  
"Excuse me?" Ichigo interrupted the conversation cautiously, "are you Shirogane-kun's girlfriend?" she asked with some doubt.  
"Hec! Why would you think that?!" the girl turned on Ichigo angrily, "why would I ever be with him? We've never gotten along! I only called because I know him; we went to the University of New York together. Since both of us were way underage compared to everyone else, we were in a lot of classed together."  
Ichigo seemed taken aback and confused by the girl's story, but she didn't bother inquiring an explanation. The next time Ichigo looked up she was completely gone without a trace.  
"Shirogane-kun?" Ichigo looked up at the boy, lost in his own memories, "we need to get back." For a moment Ichigo thought about asking about the girl, but she decided not to.  
"Yeah, let's."  
  
Kishu smiled and stared down at Ichigo. "My little strawberry, don't rejoice too long. Soon you'll be mine, in due time, you'll be mine."


	7. Striking Silver

MEW MEW METAMORPHOSIS!  
Chapter Seven: Striking Silver Author's Note: Ia don'ta owna Tokayoa Mewa Mewa, comprehenda? And I promise Kaminari really isn't me, it's just the name I use when I don't have a name for a character...and, okay, I have to admit really don't like this chapter very much, but maybe you will, or not, I hope that doesn't keep my readers from not wanting to read anymore ; ...anyhow, lots of people have asked me about introducing new characters, new characters will come, I promise!

  
  
"Where were you, na no da?" Pudding asked as Ichigo entered the Cafe, "and where's Shirogane-oni-san (big brother)?"  
Ichigo sat down across from the rest of the 'employees' at Cafe Mew Mew. After a few minutes she explained her and Ryou's detour on the way home and the girl they had met at Tokyo University.  
"A girl?" Lettuce rested her cheek on her palm and thought quietly for a moment, "an old girlfriend of Shirogane-kun's?"  
"Hec! Why would you think that!? Why would I ever be with him? We've never gotten along! I only called because I know him; we went to the University of New York together. Since both of us were way underage compared to everyone else, we were in a lot of classes together."  
"I don't think they're together." Ichigo sweatdropped, laughing a little.  
"Well," Mint started in her usual elegance, "whomever she is, I don't think it matters."  
"I think it does!" Pudding paced back and forth between to nearby heart-shaped tables with a magnifying glass in one hand. "Detective Pudding is on the case!"  
"There that monkey goes again...look what you've started Ichigo Momomiya!"  
"What is that supposed to mean, Mint!?! I didn't do anything! You asked so I told!"  
"But you were dieing to tell us, I could see it your eyes."  
"Why would I be dieing to tell you about me and Shirogane-kun's walk! It wasn't that interesting!" Ichigo stepped back defensively, knowing Mint would take what she had just said the wrong way.  
"Ichigo's blushing!"  
"Am not!"  
"Are too! You always blush when we talk about Shirogane-kun!"  
"I don't! I don't! Stop saying I do!"  
"Fine, but we all know the truth. Ichigo's a natural blusher!"  
  
The door to the Cafe opened as the owner, Ryou Shirogane, walked in. A small bell sounded behind him. Dressed in his usually red and black attire he walked passed the girls, smiling at their shouting.  
"IF I'm red, which I'm not, it's because your being an idiot, Mint!" Ichigo hit the table with her fist for dramatic effect.  
"You're red again, Ichigo. You should take better care of your face." Ryou entered the kitchen, hands behind his head. Ichigo wasn't sure whether he meant to be rude or kind.  
"I AM NOT RED!" Ichigo glared at the boy. Without thinking she picked up a tea tray and threw it in his direction. The tray missed.  
This whole conversation reminds me of something...Ichigo thought to herself, watching the girl's laugh together, "the Blue Knight...he hasn't shown up for a while. I remember when Pudding made the accusation of Ryou being that strange knight...is he? Shirogane denied it, but was he lying to us?  
(Flashback Phrase)  
_ "Ichigo, why's your face all red?"  
_ "Hey!" Ryou called to the girls from the kitchen, "we're opening in a few minutes, get off the tables and come help wash the dishes!"  
"Coming!" ------------------------------------------------  
  
"Ichigo, Ichigo, Ichigo..." Kishu tapped his finger restlessly against his folded arm, "where's my little toy?" the green-haired alien sat impatiently in a tree, "you gave me such good ideas, my little kitten. Tokyo U...this must be an important place...would you save the people from being turned into slaves? Come play with me, my kitten." -----------------------------------------------  
"Eh, Tokyo U?" Zakuro held the ticket in her hand.  
"Hai, their gymnastics team is having a big opening show tonight, I thought it'd be fun to go." Akasaka gave a ticket to Ichigo, showing up late as usual.  
"Eh! Arigatou!" she took the ticket and read the small kanji words quietly, "formal casual dress?" she spoke aloud to herself, not really noticing the others. ------------------------------------------------  
The two Cafe owners and the Mew Mews sat down in almost front row seats to view the show. The gymnastics team sat on different places around the blue warm-up mats, stretching and practicing their routines.  
"This is exciting!" Lettuce exclaimed, "Gymnasts are so elegant and balanced. I wish I could do all those stunts!"  
"Mmm!" Ichigo nodded her head in agreement. She looked around at her group and smiled, that was, until she noticed Ryou staring at her.  
How rude! Why does he keep looking at me like that? Ichigo cleared her thought with a shake of her head and continued her conversation with Lettuce. Zakuro's eyes narrowed, she looked sharply over her shoulder, sensing something wrong. "Be careful, everyone."  
No one really heard Zakuro's remark, over the loud cheering of the crowd as the event was about to begin.  
"Welcome! Welcome! This will be Tokyo U's 76th annual gymnastics start off! Please give a warm welcome to the teammates as I read their name, position, and years at Tokyo U!"  
The announcer-man cleared his throat before continuing, "Tokyo University's Gymnastics Team, also known as TUGT, president, Kaminari Mitsuki!"  
Ichigo's eyes widened as a girl walked out. Long brown hair, to thin braids in front. Intense green eyes. Adorned in her silver and black uniform.  
"That's the girl from before!" she whispered to her surrounding friends without Ryou hearing.  
"Ryou, do you kno..." two hands clasped around Pudding's mouth before she could finish.  
"Kaminari Mitsuki graduated from Brigham Young University, Utah at the age of fifteen. Only a few months later she took two years of training at the University of New York, New York, and now has been with us here, at her third college, for about eleven months."  
"Three colleges, and a star gymnast?" Mint starred forward with slight admiration, "that's saying something." The sound on the microphone suddenly demolished as a large sort of quake hit the stadium. Chairs fell over, the audience screamed.  
"There you are, my cute little toy!" a familiar voice called out once the majority of the people had gone, "time to come home with Kisshu!"  
"Kisshu!" Ichigo glared up in the direction of the voice, "go away!"  
"Fine." Kisshu glistened for a moment and disappeared.  
"You'll fight me!" a deep, monotone voice called from behind Ichigo. The announcer-man's eyes bulged out of his head, his skin a distorted green color. In left hand he swung a microphone on its cord around and around. Every time it passed his head it let out a high-pitched, ear-throbbing squeal.  
"Chimera...Anima..." Ichigo spoke into the broken stillness.  
In a blind-to-the-eye movement the Chimera Anima swung the microphone cord around the Mew Mews, Akasaka, and Ryou.  
"Die!" a growl came from the one-human creature's throat. Strands of spit hung from his mouth as he squeezed the cord tighter.  
"No one will die!" all looked up in surprised as a voice interrupted the monster's murderous action from the shadows.  
"Deeeeeffffff..." the monster made a long, awkward sound as he turned his head. Emerging from the darkness came the girl Ichigo had mentioned earlier, the President of the TUGT.  
"Mew Mew Kami! Metamorphosis!" the girl uncovered a broach from her pocket as she called up the worn, magic words.  
A blinding light filled the destroyed stadium as Mew Kami transformed. Once it had cleared the Silver Stranger stood above the Chimera Anima on the high balance beam.  
"Hurting the innocent is a crime against nature! I, Mew Kami, as leader of the rainbow knights, order of the Silver and Blue, protector of the five rulers, will not tolerate Deep Blue or his minion's cruel methods!"  
Kisshu's form appeared in another corner of the room, unseen by the Mew Mews. "Who are you?" his eyes narrowed in hate, "it's my turn to play. I hate people who can't have a little innocent fun." "Eh, Ichigo, Mew Kami's speech makes yours sound pretty dumb." Mint teased with a smile.  
Ichigo didn't say anything in response to Mint, "Rainbow Knights? Blue? Silver?" she looked over at Ryou for a moment and returned her attention to the Chimera Anima, "five rulers...what is she talking about...?"  
Mew Kami jumped off the beam and landed on top of the tightened cord, snapping it in two.  
"Mew Mews," she asked politely over her shoulder, "you two" she indicated to Akasaka and Shirogane, "I have to ask you with my highest regards, to stay out of this one."  
"What!? I can't do that! It's my..." Ichigo began to protest.  
Zakuro placed a hand on the pink-haired girl's shoulder and shook her head sternly, "this isn't our place." Her purple eyes pierced Ichigo's in solemn silence.  
Ichigo sighed and stood up, rubbing her arms, "get em', Mew Kami!"  
The Silver Stranger nodded with a smile and leapt above the monster. Pieces of energy gathered around her hand in thin strands as she prepared to attack. "Ribbon Silver Death!"  
A spiral of glowing streamers curved their way into the beast's skin, tearing flesh, wounding and bruising his fragile skin. Trickles of blood ran down his sides. The high-pitched swinging sound of the microphone seized.  
"Return to peace, Chimera Anima. I forgive you for what Deep Blue had done to you." A light, multi-colored aura surrounded Kisshu's Chimera Anima victim. "I erase these thoughts from your mind, you will wake up outside, among the panicked crowd, and tell them everything is better now, but don't let them in for half an hour, got it?"  
Mew Kami seemed to be using hypnosis on the creature, gently leading him to sleep. At the snap of her black-gloved finger he disappeared.  
"H...H...How did you do that? Na no da..." Pudding was the first to over to Mew Kami, the others following one by one behind her.  
"Same way you do." a bright light flashed through the room again, more quickly before.  
Kaminari turned to Ryou and smiled, "I won't erase their memories, this time. If they get in my way I won't be able to promise the same things, however..."  
Shirogane nodded, "I know. Coming back with us to the Cafe?"  
"Why not?" she took the lead and headed back to Cafe Mew Mew, acting as though nothing had happened.  
"This is confusing, na no da."  
"It is, it is..."  
  
_"... I, Mew Kami, as leader of the rainbow knights, order of the Silver and Blue, protector of the five rulers..."  
"leader of the rainbow knights..."  
"silver...blue"  
"five...rulers..."  
_  
A million things flashed through Ichigo's mind, she didn't completely trust this girl yet. Who was she?


	8. Getting Aquainted

MEW MEW METAMORPHOSIS! Chapter Eight: Getting Acquainted

Author's Note: BIG ANNOUNCMENT: You want to know why this story takes place about after episode 26 of Tokyo Mew Mew? Well, it's because I haven't seen past episode 26. You know who would really like to see past that poiny? Me! I'm saying this for two reasons:

1) These plot lines are mine and completely original, the whole thing. My friends sister stole my ideas after I told them to her and let's just say I wasn't exactly pleased

2) **Anyone** who can tell me where to get past episode 26 will have my **deepest** gratitude!

"Eh! You look so pretty!' Ichigo exclaimed, clasping her hands together in admiration.  
"You do! You do! Na no da!" Pudding joined into Ichigo's praise.  
"None of us look that pretty in the Café uniforms!" Lettuce walked up beside Ichigo and absent-mindedly threw her pigtails behind her back.  
Kami (short for Kaminari) blinked unsurely a few times. "Umm...Arigatou...I guess." She sighed and stared up to the ceiling in desperation.  
"She's not as pretty as Zakuro-sama!" Mint stood alone across from Zakuro and smiled.  
"Maybe..." Ichigo turned to go back to work, "but I bet Kami-chan could be a model to if she wanted."  
Kami left the five girls and walked over to the kitchen area of the Café. She stared at her silver and black uniform a moment before walking into the room.  
"There very cute uniforms, Ryou-kun." She stood by the sink and picked up a dirty dish.  
Ryou looked up at her, all the girls called him Shirogane. It was...new.  
"But..." she put on a teasing smiled, "aren't the skirts a bit short?"  
Akasaka laughed quietly from the counter where he was preparing a plate of tarts.  
Not waiting for Ryou to make a comeback, Kami continued on, "at least they're cute. Just like everything else you make. I guess it is that way, with a designer major in college." She put the plate down, her smile gradually growing, "though, I won't ask why a teenage boy would build a Café and painted it pink. With, might I add, an obsession of hearts. Maybe you were trying to attract pretty girls."  
Shirogane gave a long sigh, remembering why he and the girl hadn't gotten along very well in college. Even though she had been the only other one his age, their personalities were different. He knew Kaminari Mitsuki was a very intellectual person, even if she hardly ever showed it.  
Kaminari set down the cleaned stack of plates on the table. She knew she was tormenting that poor blonde-haired boy on the inside. It was just one of her odd ways of showing she cared.  
"Kami?" Ichigo entered the room quietly. "How old are you? I don't mean to be rude but..."  
"Oh, it's okay." Kaminari sat down across from Akasaka, "I'm seventeen, going on eighteen."  
"S...S...Seventeeeeeen!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?" Ichigo went into a small hysteric, "a college graduate, seventeeeeeen!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?"  
"Is something wrong with that?" Kaminari blinked.  
"You can't go to college until your eighteen!"  
"Ryou-kun graduated at the age of fifteen. See, it's not that weird."  
"Fif...fif...fifteen!" Ichigo kicked the wall in surprise, "my toes! Fifteen!?!" she ran out, holding her foot, eyes watering, "wait! You went to college Shirogane-kun!?"  
Kami got up and closed the kitchen door impolitely after Ichigo. "What a klutzy girl." She brushed her hair back behind her ears, a scowl on her face. "Super heroes? You've got the Klutz, the stuck-up, the geek, the circus-performer, and the prettier stuck-up. "Kaminari muttered to herself walking out through the back door of the restaurant. "How are they supposed to save the world."  
Ryou had a faint grin on his face as the girl left. Maybe she was right, they were an odd bunch of people-not what he had expected when he first initiated Project Mew. But still, they had remained consistent in defeating the enemy time after time. He just hoped they could keep it up.  
Kaminari walked down the street. Autumn leaves fell down from half- barren trees around her.  
_Why do I feel so guilty all of a sudden?_ She thought angrily to herself, _what I'm doing isn't wrong, it's my mission...but you wouldn't think so, right, Keiko-chan?  
_ "Excuse me?" a voice sounded from behind the wondering girl, "do you work at Café Mew Mew?"  
Kami looked down at her outfit and stared at the boy behind her, he had dark hair and kind eyes. He looked fairly happy...  
"Eh? Me? Yes, I'm newly employed there. Can I help you with something? I'm sort of off work right now."  
"Sorry, I'm Aoyama, an acquaintance of Ichigo's."  
"Ichigo Momomiya, I know her, not terribly well though."  
"Could you give her a message for me? I would tell her myself but, I don't know if I can right in front of her face. It's sudden."  
I can tell he cares for Ichigo very much. Kami shook her head of her thoughts.  
"No, I can't. If you really care about this girl that much, then you should deliver the message yourself."  
Aoyama looked a bit surprised for a moment, but he smiled after a second or two, "you're right. But the Caf's closed right now. I guess I can wait."  
"Don't procrastinate too long!" Kaminari called after him, waving her arm.  
  
Kami sighed and leaned over a near by bridge. The river flowed quietly under it, small waves lapping the sides of the banks in the breeze. "Look at me, giving advice. I suppose I have plenty to give, I've lived through so much." Kami pulled a watch out of her pocket and watched the hands tick together in perfect timing. "7:30," she said aloud, "7:30."  
  
"Ryou, she's been out for quite a while, I think you should go check on her."  
Shirogane looked up in surprise at Akasaka, he hated how persuasive this man was, he was always so darn nice, that you always did what he said.  
  
"I'm only doing it because you asked so politely and I need some fresh air."  
"And she might know something we don't." Keiichirou added as he watched the boy depart.  
Ryou didn't have to walk far. The girl was in the park behind the Café, standing on the bridge. For a moment he thought someone was with her, but she was just talking to herself.  
"7:30 was the time when they left me." Kami didn't notice Ryou a few yards away, she was lost in her own thoughts. "Oka-san, Oni-san, Onee-chan."(mother, older brother, older sister) Kaminari's eyebrows furrowed in anger, but tears ran down her flushed cheeks. "Why did you leave me all alone? Left me for dead. Did you really think they could take care of me in such fragile state? My grandparents died only a few years after, I was all alone."  
A smile spread across the girl's face, though tears still streamed down it. Ryou arched an eyebrow towards her in confusion, finally calling out to her.  
"Hey! Mitsuki! The Café is closing down for the night, you should probably go home!"  
The girl looked up in surprise, her tears vanishing...  
  
_ (Ichigo:)"And that was how we gained another comrade, Mew Kami. She's been staying with us a couple months now, fighting diligently by our side. There seems to be something sad about her...I still don't get that whole 'five rulers' thing, but I think I'll ask her some day.  
Since Mew Kami's been with us I've seen another side of Shirogane- kun. Usually he's either really mean or really kind, but lately, whenever Kaminari is around, he's quiet. Just like the day I first met him. It's not an angry quiet like before, however. It's sort of a peaceful quiet. They both fight a ton though, I thought he fought with me a lot, he and Kami are at each other's throats half the time. To make it worse, Kami has moved into the Café. Since the college term is ending, her housing contract down at Tokyo U is expired. Akasaka (with the help of me!) convinced him to let Kami stay here for a while. I don't think he minds...too much...eh...!" _


	9. Subsections of Destiny

Mew Mew Metamorphosis!  
Chapter Nine: Subsections of Destiny  
  
Author's Note: Guess who doesn't own Tokyo Mew Mew. Just take a lucky guess. What did you say? Me?! That's right! I don't own Tokyo Mew Mew  
This isn't my favorite chapter, but it's needed later on so I guess I'll just have to write it. By the way, my wonderful reviewers, all six of you? Please tell me if I go to far out of character, especially on Ryou- kun.  
  
"Miss McGuire-san!" Ichigo exclaimed, "you're throwing another party?!"  
"If 'throwing' is the best word you can come up with, then, yes." Ryou teased in his usual tone.  
"You're all invited." Akasaka added.  
"Party! Na no da!" Pudding jumped up, performing a circus flip, "Pudding-chan will help serve, Pudding doesn't feel comfortable at formal events."  
"I probably won't be attending, either." Zakuro adjusted her Café hat, "I don't want to bring too much publicity to the headquarters. I'll help Pudding."  
"Zakuro-oni-chan! Arigatou!" Pudding exclaimed, "Pudding won't get lonely now!"  
Mint glared jealously in Pudding's direction until a thought struck her, "so Miss McGuire will be playing again?"  
"Yes, she'll be arriving tonight. See? We already have the piano set up."  
Ichigo looked past Shirogane's shoulder and stared at the grand piano. "I'm excited!" she whispered to no one in particular. "What about Kami? Is she coming?"  
  
Ryou sighed, "she's invited." He opened one of his closed eyes and looked over at the staircase, "speaking of which."  
Kami ran down to join the group, "piano?" she fingered the keys gently, "what for?"  
"Shirogane-kun's party!" Ichigo exclaimed.  
"Party?" she sat down at the bench quietly, only half-listening to what Ichigo was saying. In a few minutes she had totally toned out of the conversation. Everything was quiet but the sound of the piano echoing throughout the Café.  
Ichigo looked up in surprise, "that's beautiful..." she blinked once or twice, "she really is a talented person."  
The soft music slowly began to change until Kami was playing a much louder, jazzier type of tune. After a few more songs she stopped abruptly, aware of everyone looking at her.  
A blush of embarrassment flashed across her face, "sorry, I just haven't played one in so long, I couldn't resist."  
"That was so beautiful, na no da!" Pudding walked sat on top of the instrument, "where did you learn to play like that?"  
"Eh?" Kami stared up in surprise, her eyes watering somewhat, "my older sister taught me, when I was very small. She always told me that music was the pathway to opening up even the most closed of hearts. So I tried to learn to play everything, though I think I'm best with the violin."  
"Older sister?" Ichigo ran up to the piano, "what was her name?"  
"Elizabeth." Kaminari saw the confusion at the strange name, "I was born in America. I didn't move to Japan until I was four. I changed my name some time later; it used to be Laura. It's...a long story...a sad story..." she trailed off, knowing they hadn't heard the last bit of what she said.  
"Does Miss McGuire only speak Eigo (English)? "Kami placed the lid of the piano down.  
Ichigo nodded, the terrifying memories of her first encounter with the pianist flowing back to her head. "So, Kami, are you coming to the party?"  
Kaminari shook her head, "no, I think I'll be out on the higher balconies, or lingering upstairs if you need me."  
Ichigo sadly nodded and turned back to the others. "I've got to go and take end of the year exams next weekend, I should probably go study, they help determine whether I get into high school in a few years."  
  
"I'll help you study, I have to take them, too." Mint began walking towards the direction of the door, "come on, Ichigo. Let's go to the park."  
"She's being unusually kind..." Ichigo muttered to herself as she ran after Mint.  
"Eh, I'd best be going to, can I walk you home, Pudding?"  
"Yes, Lettuce-onee-chan! That would be nice! Na no da!"  
"I think I'll come with you." Zakuro led the two other girls out of the Café.  
  
Kaminari walked down the stairs to the 'secret laboratory' of the Café. Ryou was busy typing at the computer, while Keiichirou was doing something odd to one of those Chimera Anima parasites.  
"What are you doing." Kami looked over Shirogane's shoulder with little interest.  
"Trying to discover more about the Blue Data animals. I suppose I could ask you, you being one, do you know anything? All we've been able to figure out is that the creature's DNA used are extinct, like the Tasmanian Tiger DNA you use to transform. "  
"I don't know much that I can tell you." She spoke bluntly, "I know this: the only way your DNA can match up with the endangered creatures of the red is if you are going through emotional troubles or some sort of crisis in your life. If you are fused with a blue DNA animal you must have nothing or little left to live for." Ryou's eyes widened in unexpected surprise at Kami's unusual serious tone.  
Kami continued, "Getting the blue, or red for that matter, or gift of a knight, means you're expected to fight. Fighting gives you a purpose. For the blue DNA warriors, fighting is our purpose, since we no longer have one in life. It's that simple. Destiny chose it for us. But you already knew that, right, Blue Knight?"  
Shirogane turned his head in Kami's direction, his eyes showing complete surprise. He stood up from his chair.  
Kami turned away from him and turned to Keiichirou, "you can't hide your secrets from me. I'm tricky that way. Like a vixen fox."  
"And Ryou?" Kami added to her statements as she began to climb the stairs, "You have competition for Ichigo's heart as well, just to inform you. I met him a little while ago. Aoyama-kun...?"  
Ryou took a step back, a light blush running across the bridge of his light face. 


	10. Sleepover, Love's Troubles

MEW MEW METAMORPHOSIS  
Chapter Ten: Sleepover-Love's Troubles Author's Note: (I don't make any claim of owning Tokyo Mew Mew, just to let you know) This chapter has only two purposes:  
1) Illustrate Kami's very much less serious side  
2) Practice writing fluffy romance scenes (you'll see what I mean)  
Because this Chapter had two completely different emotional settings, I wasn't sure which title to pick...so...I used both, that's why it doesn't make any sense.  
Alas, I hope you guys don't mind terribly, but I think I just might take a 2 day or so Tokyo Mew Mew break. I wrote three chapters in a day, one of them being real fluffy and all, so my mind must rest. (Actually I'll be catching up on Fushigi Yuugi and Fruits Basket)  
  
"What's wrong with Ichigo onee-san?" Pudding peered over Lettuce's shoulder and stared at the pink-haired girl a few yards away.  
"I...I don't know. She's acting..."  
"Lettuce! Pudding! Let's dance! La la la la la la! Weeeee!" Ichigo twirled around the Café floor, a huge smile plastered on her face.  
"She's acting..." Lettuce tried to find the right words.  
"Why is Ichigo acting like she just drank a bucket of sake?" Kami cam behind the two girls with a broom in one hand.  
"That's it!" Lettuce put her finger up in discovery, "she's acting like a drunk!"  
"I'll say." Kami placed the broom over her two shoulders, her wrists and hands draping over the outer edges. "I'm going out, I'll be back soon."  
  
"Where are you taking the broom, na no da?"  
"Out." Kami didn't wait for a response to her answer before walking out the door.  
"Lettuce!" Ichigo grabbed Lettuce's hands in her own and began to drag her along in slow, sloppy dance patterns. "Dance! Dance!"  
"Ich...Ichigo? Are you alright?"  
"Of course!" the girl's voice was high-pitched and exaggerated.  
"I have to go..." Lettuce pulled herself away from Ichigo and ran into kitchen where Pudding, Ryou, Zakuro, and Akasaka were sitting quietly.  
"I think she's sick." Lettuce sat down and sigh with worry, "I've never seen her like this. It's scary!" the green-haired girl's eyes watered and she slumped down in her chair as if trying to hide from Ichigo.  
"What's she doing this time?" Shirogane was wearing his green and white shirt with purple pants. He folded his arms, "crying again?"  
"I wish she was crying, na no da!" Pudding shook in her seat, frightened.  
"There you are! Found you Leeeeettuuuuuuuuuce!" Ichigo jumped on top the table in a cat like fashion and lay on her back. She looked up, staring into Ryou's face.  
"Hi!" she waved to the boy and rolled of the side of the table, landing on her feet. "Nyan! Nyan! Nyan!" she poked her head up over the rim of the table and smiled, "how are you doing, nyan!"  
A broom handle came down, forcing itself into Ichigo's ribs. The girl fell down, her breath knocked out, though a dopey grin still remained on her face.  
"Shut up!" Kami threw the broom down on top of Ichigo and glared at her, "your voice is hurting my ears!" Kaminari Mitsuki had something else slung over her shoulder.  
"What, may I ask, is Mint doing on your shoulder?" Zakuro implied, breaking the tensioned silence.  
"She's as odd-acting as Ichigo." Kami threw the blue-haired girl down on the floor next to her comrade, "I'm quietly trying to study outside and she comes and hugs me. It's a reflex, so I kicked her in the stomach. I didn't really mean to."  
"Sure you didn't." Ryou looked up at her from the corner of his eye without actually moving his face.  
"What's that supposed to mean? You trying to pick a fight?!" Kami raised her fist up to his face.  
"I wonder why Ichigo and Mint are acting so strangely." Akasaka changed the subject abruptly, smiling to himself.  
"Lovesick." Kami replied simply, turning to leave again, "both of them, Ichigo was probably asked somewhere important with Masaya, Aoyama. Mint, well, she probably is just a little infatuated by some guy's pretty face, it'll probably wear off in a day or two."  
"A little...?" Lettuce repeated with some doubt.  
Kami nodded and began to walk up the staircase. "Eh, Ryou-kun?" she spoke, somewhat impolitely, "I'll be out of your hair and back at my on- campus apartment in a week. Just bare a little longer." She winked at him and ran to her temporary room. -----------------------  
Kami stared up in bed, the moon and trees lay crooked shadows on her wall from the window. It was hard to sleep through it, even for a teenager.  
  
"Ryou-kun?" Kami's voice reached the boy sleeping a few doors down.  
"Nani? (what)" he called sharply back to her in irritation.  
"I heard a strage noise! There are monsters in my room!"  
"Go to sleep!"  
"Ryooooooou! You gave me a monster-cursed room on purpose! What is there are a whole gaggle of monsters in here!"  
"That's impossible, only geese come in gaggles."  
"Then I bet there's a whole pride!"  
"That's only used in terms of lions." Ryou tried to tune her voice out, but it was no use.  
"Then a flock or a herd or a stampede or a bunch or a really large group of monsters are in my room! What am I supposed to do!?"  
Shirogane rolled his eyes, "sleep."  
  
Kami scowled in the darkness at the blunt reply. She had been enjoying herself, why was he ruining her fun? "I hate monsters but I hate jerks like you even more!"  
Ryou sat up in bed in surprise. Kami's voice had gotten much closer. Looking around he saw her kneeling at the side of his bed, her eyebrows knitted together in a fury.  
"What are you doing in my room? Out! Idiot!" Ryou pointed a finger to the open door.  
"Moron!"  
"Dork!"  
"Jerk!"  
"Fool!"  
"Snob!"  
"Arrogant!"  
"Rude!"  
"Ugly!"  
"Hey! I'm not ugly, Ryou-kun!"  
"Yes you are." Ryou met her glare with his own.  
"Don't call me ugly!"  
"Then stop looking ugly, Ugly!"  
"Ryou-kun, you're so mean, stupid!"  
"By the dictionary definition of stupid, you know I'm not stupid."  
Kami's eyes glinted a faint red. She shook her fist in half-defeat, "what do you want me to call you!? I don't think they've invented words that describe you!"  
"What about intellectual, wealthy, handsome, genius?" Ryou smiled and lay back down in bed.  
"You wish! Baka!"  
"Baka!"  
"Baka!"  
"Baka!"  
"Baka!"  
"Hey! Get out of my bed, Kami! I already leant you your own, go use it!"  
"Not until you apologize!" Kami stood up and began to jump up and down on the sheets. "Besides, what about the monsters? I can't sleep in there alone!"  
"Fine! Sleep on the floor but for crying out loud, get out of my bed and GO TO SLEEP!"  
"Yay! Sleepover, sleepover!" Kami rolled onto the floor.  
A look of anger flashed across Shirogane's face, "please say you didn't say what I think you just said."  
"Sleepover? Is that to girly of a word for you?"  
"That's not it!"  
"You can wear purple pants and paint your Café pink and you invent a pink fluff alien to capture little jellyfish, but sleepover is too girly of a word?" Kami flopped onto her side and quieted her voice a little bit, "Ryou-kun, if you didn't have all the girls hear where such short skirts and didn't have such a pretty face, I would think your...emotional interests...would be somewhat...different."  
"What do you mean by that?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!" Ryou's breathing had become long and loud. It was obvious he was offended and angry.  
"Why do you work with Akasaka, you two seem pretty close." Kami teased in the darkness of the room.  
"What the h woman!? Go to bed already!"  
"Okay, Ryou-kun. If you insist I'll go to bed"  
"What are you doing?! Not my bed!!! The floor!"  
"But you said bed, very clearly."  
"JUST GO TO SLEEP, AHO! (Very insultish Japanese word)"  
"Ryou-kun?"  
"WHAT?"  
"I'm thirsty."  
"You're doing that on purpose, aren't you!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"  
  
"Yup!"  
  
------------------------------  
"Momomiya-san?" Aoyama walked with the girl down the moonlit pathway.  
  
"Eh!? Isn't it pretty, Aoyama-kun?" Ichigo smiled at him, she was holding Aoyama-kun's hand! This was the best day and date of her life!  
"Momomiya-san, I don't know how to say this..."  
"Eh! Look how pretty it is! I didn't know fireflies came out this time of year!" Ichigo ran over to a fence and leaned on its side, reaching to touch one of the glittering bugs.  
"Ichigo!" Aoyama grabbed the girl's upper arms and turned her around to face him. "Ichigo."  
Ichigo's stared at him, speechless. He had never called her that before. He was serious.  
"Aoyama-kun?" she blinked unsurely, she made no apparent attempt to get away from his strong grasp.  
"I wanted to tell you first, Ichigo." He continued to stare at her with intense brown eyes. "I should've told you earlier, but you always seem so busy, Ichigo. You never have time anymore."  
Ichigo's mouth opened as if she was about to say something, but she didn't. She wished she could tell him about the Mew Mews, she wished so badly.  
"Ichigo..." Aoyama pressed his thumb against her mouth so she wouldn't interrupt him, "I'm going. I'm going to study abroad in America for a year or two. The kendo club is funding it, and it will be a big help in getting into a college when I return. I was going to have your friend tell you, but...I decided I should tell you directly."  
Ichigo turned her face away and stared at the nearby fireflies. She could feel Aoyama's kind eyes looking at her, waiting for a response. What was she supposed to say? She bit her lip to keep from crying.  
"Ichigo." Aoyama put his arm around her waist and brought her closer to him.  
Ichigo didn't do anything. She was completely lost for words in the moment. Aoyama, please don't look at me with those eyes, Aoyama-kun  
Aoyama placed his free hand upon her face and turned her head to face his own.  
"Aoyama-ku..."  
A small bunch of fireflies flew around Ichigo's head and glowered around the two. "Sayonara, Ichigo. Wait for me."  
  
Ichigo stood there and stared after him for a while. When he was out of sight she felt her legs collapse. She covered her mouth with her hands.  
"Aoyama-kun." She whispered aloud to no one, "he just...he just..." a tear rolled down Ichigo's face, "he just kissed me."  
"Aoyama-kun!" she screamed into the night air, knowing he was too far away to here her, "Aoyama-kun!" 


	11. The Beginning of the Unraveling

STILL LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO SELLS TOKYO MEW MEW  
  
MEW MEW METAMORPHOSIS  
  
Chapter Eleven: The Beginning of the Unraveling  
  
The next day at the Café was...different...then any day the building had seen. After the first few hours of opening had gone so badly, Ryou decided to shut down for the rest of the late morning and open up again around two o' clock.  
"Where's Ichigo onee-san?" Pudding jumped around the Café in search of the girl, "she didn't show up today, you think something's wrong."  
"Whadaya' think, stupid monkey!" Kami cursed the girl in a worse then usual temper.  
Pudding looked up at the Tasmanian Tiger with watering eyes, "Pudding wants to go home, too. Pudding is tired of working."  
"Go ahead!" Kami folded her arms, "Mint and Zakuro already left, why don't you go too!"  
"Guys, please don't fight." Lettuce stood up behind Pudding almost defensively, "we need to keep things running."  
Kami opened her mouth to shout at Lettuce, but decided better of it after Akasaka entered the room.  
"Please, don't fight right now. Without the other three we need all your skills to pull off a successful day of business. You'll get to relax at the party in two weeks."  
"Eh, that's right!" Lettuce exclaimed, quickly changing the subject, "you guys are inviting Miss McGuire over, aren't you?"  
"Who's Miss McGuire?" Pudding's question sparked off a whole separate conversation, brightening things a bit as memories of the pianist came back.  
"Speaking of which..." Kami turned her attention to Ryou after leaving the others, "where is that piano, Ryou-kun?"  
Ryou was standing against the wall in his usual pose, "upstairs, in a room full of all sorts of odds and ends, and a few different instruments, why do you need to know?"  
"Cause', I'm going to go play it." Kami turned sharply on her heal, the lace of her Café uniform flaring out behind her.  
Shirogane let out a heavy sigh and walked into the kitchen. Where are you, Ichigo? He allowed his thoughts to wander away from the loud talking going on around him.  
"Better make sure that girl isn't screwing up my Café." Ryou turned and headed in the direction Kami had gone.  
On reaching the top of the stairs it wasn't hard to find where Kami had snuck off. Piano music reverberated around the main hall, it's source a room around the corner and behind a door.  
Ryou waited outside the door for a moment, his worries of Ichigo transforming into focusing on the tune his ears heard. It seemed...familiar.  
Once the song had ceased, Ryou opened the door and stepped inside. There was only one window in the room, it was small and high. Now, in the early afternoon, it didn't provide the room with much light. Nonetheless, Kami hadn't turned the lights on, so Shirogane didn't either.  
"Where did you learn that song?" Ryou walked over to the piano and stared over Kami's shoulder at the empty music stand.  
Kami glared up at him, "why do you want to know?"  
"Miss McGuire played the same thing when she was here last."  
  
Kami put a hand over her mouth to stifle her obvious laughter. "What's so funny?" Ryou asked, a slight hint of confusion in his voice. "It's Miss McGuire." Kami answered him in perfect English pronunciation with very little accent, "you said it funny. You were pronouncing it, "Muiss MicGwi-e." Kami finished her reply again in English. Shirogane scowled at her for a moment before speaking, "that doesn't answer my question, where did you learn to play that song?" Kami's eyes sunk in sadness, small tears forming at their base, "someone taught it to me, when I was really little." Kami paused, it was evident that she didn't like the topic of her past. After a little hesitation she continued, "how do you know Elizabeth McGuire?" "Elizabeth?" Ryou looked at her, "y...y...your sister?"  
  
"Let's drop it." Kami walked past him and shut the door behind him. ---------------------------------------- (author's quick note: people are telling me that I need to introduce the blue DNA animals, which I wasn't going to do for quite a while, but I thought about it and I thought I'd start sooner, so this section is for all those people that encouraged me to post for the blue guys! (the following conversation is in English))  
  
"Keiko?"  
"Yes?"  
"Has Kami reported back yet?"  
"No."  
"That girl better not be making friends. That wasn't part of her mission."  
Keiko stood up from her sitting position and headed for a nearby door. "You want me to go check up on her, right?"  
"Of course." 


	12. Brace's Emerald

STILL LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO SELLS TOKYO MEW MEW  
  
Mew Mew Metamorphosis  
Chapter Twelve: Brace's Emerald  
  
Author's Note: I don't own Tokyo Mew Mew, nor do I particularly like this chapter, but my sister's friend liked it so I'll post it anyhow:  
Ichigo walked down the street as a light rain began to fall. What was wrong with her? Shouldn't she be happy? Aoyama-kun evidently had some feelings for her. So why, whenever she started thinking about Aoyama, did Shirogane's image appear in her head?  
Ichigo turned the corner, she had never felt so awful in her whole life. She hadn't been to the Café for three days, and she wasn't going to start going now.  
"Ichigo, what's wrong? What's wrong?" Masha flew up beside Ichigo, it's wings having to work twice as hard to stay afloat in the poor weather.  
  
The girl ignored the small robot, it was just another reminder she didn't need of her newer life style. She was sick of it; saving the world on top of trying to keep a social life and sane emotional status. It wasn't fair, Ichigo Momomiya had never volunteered for this, why did it have to be her DNA that matched up with that of the Irimote cat's?  
"Ichigo! Alien! Alien!" Masha pulled itself in front of Ichigo in warning.  
Ichigo didn't pay any attention to Masha, even though it repeated its warning several times.  
The rain thickened, hitting the ground with much force, Deep puddles cluttered the walks and formed in the crevices of plants. The smell of wet dirt and falling water reached Ichigo's nose as she entered the park.  
After trying to get the girl's attention for a few minutes, Masha scowled in displeasure and flew off. Ichigo didn't notice. -----------------------------------------  
  
"What's that?" Mint stared up from her teacup and looked at the far window, "something's hitting against the pane over there." The girl pointed with one delicate finger.  
"Eh, probably a lost little bird, na no da!" Pudding listened to the banging for a second, "should we let it in?"  
"What a disaster that would be." Mint took a small drink and looked at the blonde girl in front of her, "it's a bird," she smiled, "it'll be fine, I would know."  
"You're right! Na no da!" Pudding continued to sweep the floor.  
"That's cruel!" Lettuce ran over to the window and opened it, allowing the creature to fly in. "Masha!" she exclaimed on seeing a soaking wet ball of pink drag itself into the Café, only a few inches above the ground.  
The robot fell onto a chair, "Ichigo...alien...alien...trouble..." the big- eyed creature barely managed to get its words out, "park...alien...alien..."  
Kami came over to Masha and scooped it up with one hand. Walking into the kitchen area, she set the drenched thing down in front of Ryou, who was sitting quietly to himself.  
Kami grabbed the doorknob to the backdoor and began to turn it, "Ichigo's in some sort of trouble, according to your little fluff ball, there." Kami shut the back door behind herself. ---------------------------------------------------  
A few minutes later the four other mew mews and Kami were in the park, looking around for Ichigo. Unfortunately, they weren't having much luck in locating her.  
"Ichigo onee-san is missing." Mew Pudding began to look inside all of the bushes lining the path.  
"Any luck?" Mew Lettuce turned to Zakuro and Mint as they both returned from separate searches.  
"No." Mint looked almost sad, "not a trace."  
"Me either." Zakuro walked away to look by herself.  
  
Mew Kami began to wander off from the rest of the group. She could feel Ichigo's presence...where was she?  
"This is hurting my head." The Tasmanian tiger sat down on a log half- heartedly.  
"We can't give up." A faintly familiar voice spoke out from behind Mew Kami, scaring her enough to make her fall over.  
"About time you showed up." She looked over at the Blue Knight, her voice somewhat cold, "you shouldn't scare people like that, it's bad for their health." Mew Kami raised herself to her feet.  
The Blue Knight didn't say anything, he just simply walked past the girl and began to help in the search for Ichigo.  
Mew Kami scowled after him, "be that way." She muttered dryly. With obvious anger she stalked forward ahead of him, for a moment anyway.  
"K...K...Keiko?" the tiger stopped dead in her tracks and looked up. "Keiko-chan, what are you doing here?"  
"What are you still doing here?"  
Mew Kami looked uneasily over her shoulder at the Blue Knight and the approaching girls behind him. "My mission..." she started.  
"Your mission?!" the girl called Keiko walked out of the shadows, her arms folded in disapproval, "your mission was to find out more about the Japanese operation of Project Mew! Not to make friends and twiddle your time away at some cutesy Café!"  
Keiko was actually rather pretty, in many people's opinion. She had long, pastel green hair that flowed evenly all the way down to her ankles. Her eyes were an intense hi-liter pink and she was rather tall. The thing that was most noticeable, however, was her Mew Mew uniform.  
She had a short, emerald-colored skirt on and a thin-sleeved top of neon green. The shirt exposed most of her midriff and had laces (like a shoe) strung through the middle of it. Instead of the customary two arm bands, she only had one, and two on her legs. Keiko, or rather, Mew Keiko, had long, jade boots.  
The Blue Knight's eyes widened, "mission?" he asked to no one, his voice hinting fury, "what mission?"  
"Who is she, Na no da?" Mew Pudding sounded frightened, "that lady in green?"  
"She's not the only one we should be asking about." Zakuro glared in the direction of Mew Kami.  
Mew Keiko pretended not to hear the comments given on her and Mew Kami's discussion, "Kira sent me. She wants your report. I hope you have a good reason why you're so late in returning, Kira's pretty angry."  
Mew Kami smiled, "isn't she always? I have plenty good reason, but..." the girl turned to look over her shoulder, "I'd rather not discuss that right now. If you'd like to know, I suggest you wait a day or two."  
"Fine, but are you sure your new friends will let you come back."  
"Of course, all of them will want to ask me all sorts of questions, now that you're here. Maybe accuse me. By the way..." Mew Kami still saw the worry in the Blue Knight's eyes, "have you seen a girl? About this tall? Pigtails?"  
Keiko, who had returned back to normal, looked up in surprise, "yeah, she ran home crying about some boy thing or another about an hour ago."  
"An hour ago?" Pudding' s face dropped, "we came out here for nothing?"  
"What a waste of time." Mint added. ----------------------------  
Ryou's fingers flew over the computer's keys as he began to research Mew Keiko.  
"Found anything?" Keiichirou questioned in a serious tone.  
"Mm." Ryou nodded and brought up a new screen, "that girl is definitely one of the Blue DNA creatures." He paused, enlarging the picture in front of him, "It's known as Brace's Emerald, a kind of humming bird. Mew Keiko had the same tail and wings on her back when she was transformed."  
Shirogane began to go through information he had brought up on the creature, "not much is known about it. The only recorded citing was of a single male found in New Providence. Bones were also found near the town of Nassau, as well. But that's about it."  
The screen went blank as Ryou stood up, "but we have more important things to do..."  
Akasaka nodded in agreement.  
  
The two walked upstairs to find all the lights turned off. The girls must've had to go home for one reason or another.  
Keiichirou raised a hand and signaled for Ryou to stop, "listen." He whispered into the stillness.  
There were voices coming from the serving room. One was the familiar sound of Kami; the other was probably Keiko.  
Ryou and Akasaka decided to 'eavesdrop' on the conversation. Both girl's voices were raised above the normal volume.  
"Kami, what's your excuse?"  
"My excuse?" Kami's eyes narrowed.  
"Yes. Your excuse for staying here. You were supposed to be back two months ago...!"  
"The Knights..." Kami looked away from Keiko's bright pink eyes, "I believe a lot of them live here in Japan. It might've been my mission to investigate the readings we received from this Café back in America, but it's also my mission to protect the..."  
"Knights?" Keiko seemed unconvinced, "so, you found the Blue Knight? How do you know the others are here as well? We found the Knight of Orange and Crimson back in Michigan! Tell me why you really have been staying here."  
Kami looked down, sensing Keiko's disapproval, "you already know the answer to that. I'd waste air telling you."  
Keiko's voice quieted down a bit, "you've grown to like the people at this Café, haven't you?" Her eyebrows were knitted together, not so much in anger, but confusion.  
"It's just that..." Kami trailed off, in search of explanation, "there...happier...here. It's not always just business and fighting constantly. You saw how worried they were when that girl, Ichigo, disappeared. Not like back home with Kira. None of us have any compassion for one another, we just do what we're told because we're the only ones who can save humanity. We only do it because she says we're destined to. I know you might not understand, Keiko, but..."  
Keiko dropped her anger and walked over to Kami. "I don't understand. But I'll try, I suppose. Just don't go to hard on Kira, if it weren't for her you wouldn't even be here in Japan, anyways."  
Kami smiled, "you two can come out now." She called into the shadows, "just as long as Keiko can come and work at the restaurant for a while, too.  
Ryou and Akasaka slowly edged out into the room, both somewhat embarrassed that they had been discovered.  
"I never said I wanted to work here!" Keiko argued.  
"I know you were thinking it."  
"I wasn't! Aho! You can't just make decisions for people!"  
"I just did." Kami retorted.  
  
Ryou smiled, everything was back to normal, as normal as it could go. 


	13. A War of the Heart

  
CHAPTER THIRTEEN  
War of the Heart  
Author's Note: I don't own Tokyo Mew Mew, so you have no right to sue! I think I'm protected by the Constitution! And I would like to thank the makers of DDR for providing the pretty background music! And I really would like to emphasis that I am nothing like Kami, nor was she based off of me.   
  
"I have to wear this!?" Keiko held the deep green and melon pink dress away from her body, "but..."  
The Café gumis were gathered around her, curious of what she would say.  
"But..." Keiko continued, "it's so...short. The skirt I mean, and look at all this lace!" Keiko stalked off, the Café uniform slung over one shoulder, "I didn't even want to become employed here...stupid Tasmanian tiger..."  
"Eh, I think it's cute!" Lettuce turned to go back to her cleaning duty.  
"Me too! Na no da!"  
Ichigo nodded in agreement, heading off to the kitchen. Her emotional status had begun to improve since the incident with Aoyama, almost two weeks ago. She still felt...vulnerable.  
"What's your opinion on Ryou-kun's uniforms?" Kami asked Zakuro quietly out of curiosity, not expecting to receive an answer.  
The gray wolf only stared at her for a moment before taking her leave. ----  
"What are we going to do about them?" Akasaka had a distant look in his eyes as he referred to Keiko and Kami.  
"We can't leave them alone. I think we should hold a little inquisition." Though Ryou didn't want to admit it, he knew one of his greatest pet peeves was not knowing what was going on. And he really didn't have a clue as to what was happening.  
"Call them up." Ryou finally spoke up after a few moments of silence.  
  
"You act as if we're a couple of common hound dogs." Kami appeared in the doorway, her arms folded in slight disapproval. Keiko stood silently behind her, reluctantly wearing the Café uniform.  
Shirogane didn't make any response to the remark except a glance from the corner of his eye. "So, are you going to tell me why you're here...?"  
Before Kami could answer, Keiko looked up sharply, "Chimera Anima. Touko Art Museum. Strong. Must leave now." The girl injected with hummingbird DNA shivered as if the temperature in the room had dropped nearly 50 degrees. Her pupils grew smaller and smaller as she spoke. All of a sudden, her body stopped the oddities and she returned back to normal.  
Ryou and Akasaka looked at them both in surprise, but nodded to each other. Saving the world from Chimera Anima was much more important then discovering more about these two girls, wasn't it?  
"You can't all abandon the Café, not with so many customers. The girls downstairs will need to remain," Keiichirou looked at Ryou, the blonde boy hadn't been this angry in a while.  
"We can handle it." Keiko's voice cut sharply through the air in reply.  
Ryou looked at them in speculation, normally, by now, he would have been fine with sending Kami on the case. But how things had turned out in the past couple days, he wasn't entirely sure he could trust her, and especially not this 'Keiko' girl that he knew nothing about. However, it seemed that fate hadn't given him much choice.  
"Fine. Go." He turned his back to the two. Keiko had already departed, and Kami was about to leave.  
"Kami?" Ryou didn't give his eye's attention to her, but he continued to speak anyway, "don't..." he paused and looked through his bedroom window onto the street below, his voice still harsh, "don't...get too hurt," there was also hint of worry in his voice, "I still have questions that need answering."  
Kami smiled, "I'll try not too, but I'm not making any promises. My purpose is to fight." ------  
"Why are there so many customers, na no da?" Pudding's eyebrows sagged with stress, "where do they come from, na no da?"  
"Mint! Help me!" Ichigo shouted, "Lettuce, careful! Zakuro, you're scaring people away! Pudding that's not a toy!" the girl ran about, having to manage everything alone, as usual.  
"Shirogane-kun!" she approached Ryou as he came downstairs, "can't you help?!"  
Ryou opened one of his closed eyes, "no, it's not my job." The boy spoke bluntly, his previous anger dispersing.  
Ichigo's eye flamed up in rage, "it's not fair!" she walked past Shirogane, muttering under her breath, "fight monsters Ichigo, watch the Café Ichigo, go to school Ichigo, be careful Ichigo, clean this Ichigo, why are you so late getting home, Ichigo? Well Ichigo's a little busy, and Ichigo would like a break!"  
"The party's tomorrow." Ryou walked into the kitchen after Ichigo and seated himself at the table, "you won't have to do any catering then."  
"That's right!" Ichigo seemed to forget her former complaints, "Ms. McGuire will be there, right? And then next week the National Festivities begin!" Ichigo excepted a plate from Keiichirou and carried it out into the sea of customers.  
"The National Festivals are said to be a time of romance!" Ichigo smiled, balancing the plate in her hands, "I can spend it with Aoyam.." The girl's smile was immediately wiped off her face, That's right, Aoyama is in America now. I don't know when I'll see him next. Aoyama-kun...I miss you...  
"Yo! Cater girl!" a rude voice called to Ichigo, "you going to bring us our food or what!?"  
Ichigo turned around and forced a smiled on her face, placing the tray on the man's table. Her eyes had begun to flood with tears. Turning around Ichigo ran into the kitchen and out the back door.  
"Oh dear." Lettuce looked up from the table she was serving, "I wish she would tell us what's bothering her."  
Zakuro stared after Ichigo with a look of disapproval. She needs to be taught, I wish I could teach her... -------------  
Akasaka stared after the girl who had just ran out the back door. "Aren't you going after her, Ryou?"  
"Why would I?"  
"I wish you would stop denying your own feelings. I know you're not used to showing emotion, but I think...I think you need to learn."  
Shirogane gave the older boy a sharp look, he wasn't angry, just stunned that Keiichirou had gathered enough strength to say something like that. "I have no need to, it's a waste of my time." Ryou got up and walked away, not towards Ichigo, probably up to his lonely room to be alone.  
"I'm sorry you feel that way, Ryou." Akasaka returned to his work quietly. -------  
  
Ichigo continued down the street, tears streaking her cheeks. She just wanted to run as far away as possible, far away from that Café, far away from her problems, her fears. It was all getting to her.  
Aoyama-kun, why did you leave me?  
  
Lost in her thoughts, the Irimote Cat paid no attention to where she was going. In a few short moments she hit something warm and soft and fell to ground.  
Ichigo wiped her eyes with her Café apron, so she wouldn't seem to upset, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to run into you."  
"Get up."  
Ichigo's eyes widened in surprise, she looked up to the familiar face, "Shirogane-kun? What are you doing out of the Café when it's so busy? How did you get ahe..."  
Ryou pulled the young waitress up, "I'd like to ask you the same thing."  
The redhead stared down at the ground, not saying anything.  
  
"Come on, let's go."  
Ichigo looked at him in confusion, he wasn't walking toward the Café. "I think I'm going home."  
The girl felt Ryou's hand wrap itself around her own, "I don't care if you feel like coming with me or not." He began to pull her down the road, and after a while Ichigo's reluctance wore down and she began to follow his lead.  
"Shirogane, where are we going?" Ichigo finally asked after a few minutes of wandering about. "We shouldn't leave the others at the Café."  
"Don't worry about that." Ryou glanced back at her, still holding tightly to her hand, "they can manage without us. Besides, it's about closing time."  
Ichigo sighed quietly and continued to follow the boy down the street. The nighttime lights were beginning to turn on, lighting of the city of Tokyo in a bright array of colors.  
After much walking they finally stopped. Ryou released his grip on Ichigo's and instructed her to wait for him. Not knowing what to do, she obeyed.  
In a few moments Ryou appeared again, supporting a motorcycle against his leg. He pulled the bike up to the curb and seated himself on it. After securing his helmet he turned to Ichigo.  
"Get on."  
Ichigo stared at him, not knowing what to think. It shouldn't surprise her that he owned a motorcycle, and it shouldn't surprise her that he could drive it. At least, she really hoped he could drive it.  
"You coming?" Ryou held up a helmet, obviously wanting the girl to put it on.  
Ichigo accepted the head covering and eyeballed it for a moment, as if she had never seen one. She wasn't quite sure what was happening, but she didn't feel like walking all the way back home.  
Ryou helped Ichigo onto the back of the bike and then started the engine. "Hold on, tight."  
Ichigo looked at him in speculation, she didn't feel much like holding on or taking a bike ride. What she wanted to do was go home, go to sleep, and wake up as a normal girl. But she doubted that would be happening any time soon.  
The bike lurched forward without and warning. Ichigo was thrown forward into Ryou's back. To prevent herself from falling she did as she had been told and wrapped her arms around his waist as the road sped by underneath her.  
"Careful." Was all Shirogane said.  
Tokyo really was beautiful in the night, that was, if you ignored the pollution certain factories blew out into the air. A few stray musicians played music along the sides of the street and shops were still bustling with activity, even in this late hour.  
The loud motor of the bike tuned all the noise out, though. In that moment Ichigo began to think again, think about Aoyama. She felt her heart start to beat louder, as if it had relocated itself in her head. Without realizing it she had tightened her arms around Ryou and was leaning her head to the black cloth of his shirt. A blush tickled her cheeks, turning them a magenta color.  
The motorcycle halted at a stoplight. As cars passed by Ryou looked behind his shoulder to check on the unusually silent girl.  
"Everything okay?" His voice had taken on the quiet tone that it always took on whenever he was being somewhat compassionate.  
Ichigo could only nod lost in her thoughts.  
Why is he like this? He's so mean one minute and then caring the next...I don't get him, he's nothing like Aoyama-kun, yet they're so similar...I heard Shirogane went to America, and now Aoyama's gone there too...at least they haven't both left me...  
Ichigo's grip continued to tighten. Her eyes were shut as she drifted farther and farther into her own mind.  
What am I thinking!?!?! Why would I care if Shirogane left me? I love Aoyama-kun! This is getting so frustrating...! I don't like Shirogane...I don't I don't I don't I don't I don't I.... do I?  
"We're here."  
Ichigo slowly felt herself let go and Ryou. She looked around quietly until she recognized where he had taken her. Tokyo Tower?  
Ryou offered Ichigo a hand to dismount herself from the bike, "coming?"  
Ichigo reluctantly forced herself off the bike, accepting the boy's hand stubbornly. She shouldn't be here. She should be in bed. Resting.  
"Run over there, behind those trees." Ryou indicated to two trees with his index fingers.  
"Why?"  
"Just do it."  
  
Ichigo wasn't sure if he was trying to trick her-she had given up on trying to determine what he was thinking. But she did as was instructed of her, walking beyond the trees. Her Irimote cat qualities allowed her to hear Ryou's breathing behind her, telling her he was following not to far behind.  
On the other side of the trees was a large lake. Japanese Elms and Weeping Willows lined the side of it, the moon-now high in the sky- peering down through the leaves. Cattails and lilies floated amongst little flower- shaped pieces of moss. But the most miraculous thing was two, delicate red cranes standing one-legged in the crystal waters.  
"Pretty!" Ichigo stood and stared at the beautiful sight.  
"I thought it might cheer you up." He paused, allowing a moment of silence, "I can't stand to see you so depressed."  
Ichigo looked over at Ryou, feeling her blush come up again.  
I...love...Aoyama-kun  
"Arigatou (thank you)" she managed to whisper. The silence settled itself again, except this time it was the kind of silence that's unbearably uncomfortable.  
"What's been bothering you so much?" Ryou sat down against a Japanese Elm looking up into the endless skies that peeked through the trees.  
Ichigo didn't know what to say. She just didn't feel comfortable talking to Ryou about Aoyama. It didn't seem right. So instead she fell onto the grass at closed her eyes, letting out a long sigh. "Nothing." She replied, "I suppose it was just a bad day." She turned over onto one side, facing away from Shirogane. "You know, with aliens and school..." Ichigo was careful not to mention the Café.  
"You don't have to worry about that." Ryou stood up and turned to leave the lake, "I'll always be here to protect you. It doesn't matter what happens-I'll be here with my life, waiting to protect you." Shirogane disappeared behind the trees.  
"...Ichigo, I'm going to America...." "Ichigo...wait for me..." Aoyama's words stayed fresh in the cat girl's mind.  
  
I...love...Aoyama-kun...can you be in love with two people? Why can't my heart just make up it's mind.  
Ichigo really didn't feel like walking back over to where Ryou awaited her. It all seemed like too much-just too much. The girl looked up at the blurring sky above. The lake began to sway underneath her, everything went dark.  
Shirogane looked up suddenly from where he was seated on his motor bike. From behind him came a loud splash, followed by silence.  
Ichigo looked up, her head spinning and confused. A pool of water surrounded her and she slowly fell downwards. But no matter how hard she tried her body just wouldn't do what she wanted it to.  
"Ichigo!"  
The Iriomote cat heard a familiar voice calling her.  
  



End file.
